Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements

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Over the past decade, Gallup has introduced the concepts of strengths-based development and employee engagement to more than 20 million people around the world -- largely through the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath and the New York Times bestseller 12: The Elements of Great Managing, which was coauthored by engagement expert Jim Harter. In Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements, these bestselling authors team up to share the results of a landmark study of wellbeing and its implications for organizations and individuals.

Their groundbreaking research reveals how organizations can help employees boost their overall wellbeing -- from their satisfaction with their careers to their financial security and level of community involvement. After conducting this extensive study, Rath and Harter discovered that much of what we think will improve our wellbeing is either misguided or just plain wrong.

When striving to improve our lives, we're quick to buy into programs that promise to help us make money, lose weight, or strengthen our relationships. While it might be easier to treat these critical areas in our lives as if they are independent, they're not. Gallup's comprehensive study of people in more than 150 countries revealed five universal, interconnected elements that shape our lives: Career Wellbeing, Social Wellbeing, Financial Wellbeing, Physical Wellbeing, and Community Wellbeing.

Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements provides you with a holistic view of what contributes to your wellbeing over a lifetime. Written in a conversational style, this book is filled with fascinating research and innovative ideas for boosting your wellbeing in each of these five areas. As a complement to the book, you'll have the opportunity to use Gallup's online Wellbeing Finder to track and improve your wellbeing. By the time you finish reading this book, you'll have a better understanding of what makes life worthwhile. This will enable you to enjoy each day and get more out of your life -- while boosting the wellbeing of your friends, family members, colleagues, and others in your community.

‘’Why It Pays to Give a Damn: The Business of Wellbeing’’- From CNBC

‘’The Gallup recommendations take immediate gratification and turn it on its head, making short-term satisfaction an ally rather than an enemy.’’ -The San Francisco Chronicle

Tom RathTom Rath has written three international bestsellers in the last decade. His first book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Rath’s book StrengthsFinder 2.0 is a long-running #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller and was listed by USA Today as the top-selling business book of 2008. His latest bestseller, Strengths Based Leadership, was published in 2009. In total, Rath’s books have sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and made more than 100 appearances on The Wall Street Journal bestseller list.

Rath has been with Gallup for 14 years and leads Gallup’s workplace research and leadership consulting around the world. Rath also serves on the board of VHL.org, an organization dedicated to cancer research and patient support. He earned degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania. Tom and his wife, Ashley, and their daughter, Harper, live in Arlington, VA.

Jim Harter, Ph.D.Jim Harter, Ph.D., is Chief Scientist for Gallup’s international workplace management and well-being practices. He coauthored the New York Times bestseller 12: The Elements of Great Managing, which is based on the largest worldwide study of employee engagement.

Since joining Gallup in 1985, Harter has authored or coauthored more than 1,000 research studies, some of which have been reported on in bestselling management books, academic articles, book chapters, and publications such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He is coauthor of “Manage Your Human Sigma,” published in the Harvard Business Review. Harter earned his doctorate in psychological and cultural studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Jim and his wife, RaLinda, and their sons, Joey and Sam, live in Omaha, Nebraska.